A Recap of 2024's Accelerate Smart Cities Innovation Challenge

This past May, the Smart City Works team celebrated the winning innovative solutions from 2024's Accelerate Smart Cities Innovation Challenge. This Challenge is a part of the Smart City Works shared initiative to solve urban challenges through technology and foster greater economic development. Learn more about the Accelerate Smart Cities Innovation Challenge and the 2024 winners below!

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What is the Accelerate Smart Cities Innovation Challenge?

The Accelerate Smart Cities Innovation Challenge is an annual event that provides industry experts, innovators, and startups the opportunity to collaborate and present their innovative solutions to address urban challenges. Through the Challenge, teams collaborate with a shared purpose to develop tangible solutions to create resilient and sustainable communities. The Challenge kickstarts various projects and collaboration opportunities that will help our region’s technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystem to thrive.

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The Challenge culminates with a Finale Event, which allows teams to showcase their efforts toward safer, more sustainable, and resilient communities with cutting-edge technology. The Finale Event also promotes networking opportunities between industry experts, innovators, startups, and attendees, further strengthening the ecosystem and fostering smart innovation beyond the Challenge.

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About the 2024 Accelerate Smart Cities Challenge:

This year’s Finale Event featured keynote speakers Aneesh Chopra, the President of CareJourney and first Chief Technology Officer, and Dalia Palchik from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors discussed regional innovation. In partnership with Smart City Works, organizers for the 2024 Challenge included George Mason University, Fairfax County, The Universities of Shady Grove, and Dominion Energy Innovation Center.

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Hosted at Van Metre Auditorium in Arlington, VA on May 16, the 2024 Challenge featured dozens of teams from the region and beyond. These teams represented a wide variety of sectors including cybersecurity, energy, housing, infrastructure, public safety, responsible development, senior living support, service robotics, utility management, and wellness. Finalists and winning teams were selected by five judges:

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• Sean Mallon
• Paula Sorrell
• Adriana Bonilla
• Anne Khademian
• David Heyman

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Who were the 2024 ASCC finalists?

There were eight finalists of the 2024 Accelerate Smart Cities Innovation Challenge including:

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• Edenic Energy
• GoodFences
• HealthBook ME
• N-Smart
• On Scene Services
• Qrypt Haven
• SRT Labs
• WISE Cities, LLC.

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‍Congratulations to our 2024 Accelerate Smart Cities Innovation Challenge Winners!

Every year, the selection committee has difficulty selecting the top finalists. The winning teams were selected based on their high scores on innovation, regional impact, practicality and scalability, and social responsibility and equity. Ultimately four teams showcased the strongest smart city solutions:

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• On Scene Services (OSS) offers alternative police response services to American cities, reducing response times, saving millions annually, and minimizing interactions between citizens and armed law enforcement. On Scene Services was awarded the Smart City Works Accelerator Prize!

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• Healthbook ME is a pioneering online platform for mental and physical wellness, connecting clients with wellness providers, mental health professionals, and alternative medical practitioners. Healthbook ME was awarded the USG Innovation Prize!

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• Edenic Energy is a Climate Tech company transforming underserved communities with IoT and geospatial technology to manage energy-efficient projects in outdated buildings. Edenic Energy was awarded the Dominion Energy Innovation Prize!

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• Wise Cities, LLC. is a startup committed to creating innovative technical solutions that address daily challenges faced by seniors at personal, community, and city levels. Wise Cities, LLC. was awarded the Arlington Economic Development Impact Prize!

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We look forward to seeing how this year’s winning teams impact our communities, making our cities more livable, resilient, and sustainable for everyone. Thank you to our Leadership Team and Sponsors for making the 2024 Accelerate Smart Cities Innovation Challenge a SUCCESS!

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Do you have an innovative solution to address urban challenges? Contact our team and check back for more information about the 2025 Accelerate Smart Cities Challenge for the opportunity to participate!

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#InnovateWithPurpose

Smart City Works is a non-profit focused on solving urban challenges through technology and innovation that fosters greater economic development. We harness the power of digital technology to create smart, sustainable, and resilient communities. 

‍Contact us today to learn more about how Smart City Works can help you innovate your organization, business, or community.

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